23: love at first sight

About an hour later, when everyone had basically finished getting ready, two beautiful figures appeared in the small courtyard outside the villa.

"Song Qinghan, hurry and open the door!"

Looking through the railing, the two saw Song Qinghan busy in the yard and hurriedly waved to greet her.

Hearing the sound, Song Qinghan trotted over to open the door.

"Oh my, didn't I tell you guys not to buy anything? We've already bought everything, and there's no way we can finish it all. Why did you buy so much stuff?"

Seeing the two carrying bags of fruit and snacks, Song Qinghan couldn't help but frown.

She had clearly instructed them to just come over and not bring anything; she had even returned the money they had sent her. She could afford a few hundred yuan in expenses, and besides, the sisters usually got along very well.

"It would be so embarrassing not to bring anything. I can only eat with a clear conscience if I bring something, right, Sister Yun?"

A girl with a strong 'big sister' vibe said with a smile. She gestured with her chin toward the silent, delicate-looking young girl beside her.

"Mm."

The young girl wearing a white dress nodded gently, her voice as faint as a mosquito's hum.

These two new Girls had completely different styles, like two sides of a coin. One had long, wavy hair and a 'big sister' vibe—passionate and outgoing; the other was a delicate girl with long, straight black hair and a white dress, introverted and gentle, like the pure 'white moonlight' in a young boy's memories.

The 'big sister' with the wavy hair was named Zhang Xueya. This name formed an interesting contrast with her personality, as she wasn't elegant or aloof at all, but rather exceptionally lively and quirky. She was from Hebei, and like Shen Lingke, inherited the straightforward and bold traits of Northeasterners.

The other 'white moonlight' girl was from the Sichuan-Chongqing region and was named Liu Zhuoyun. However, she hadn't inherited the spicy reputation of the local 'Tyrannosaurus Rex' at all; instead, she was exceptionally introverted and socially anxious, yet very gentle and considerate. Therefore, her roommates often teased her as the 'last sweet girl of Sichuan-Chongqing,' which always made her blush with shyness.

However, after getting to know her, everyone discovered that although Liu Zhuoyun was a bit socially anxious and introverted, she still dared to stand up for herself when encountering injustice. She belonged to the type who was soft on the outside but strong on the inside.

"Song Qinghan, where is that Handsome Guy? Where are the others?"

Zhang Xueya looked left and right, but besides Song Qinghan, she didn't see anyone else in the yard, not even Shen Lingke.

"Oh, the meat is marinated. Shen Lingke and Jiang Yuan are inside skewering the meat. I was just outside tidying up these miscellaneous items."

Song Qinghan hurriedly explained. She took some of the things from their hands and led them into the house.

"What kind of rich guy did you meet? This villa must cost tens of thousands a night to stay in."

Zhang Xueya clicked her tongue in secret. It wasn't that she didn't have money to spend, but someone like Jiang Yuan, who could casually stay in such a luxurious villa at such a young age, must have a very wealthy background. He was practically her ideal type.

"Jiang Yuan, my classmates have arrived. Let me introduce them to you. This is Zhang Xueya, from Heilongjiang, just like you and Zhao Xin—both are locals from the Northeast. This is Liu Zhuoyun, a Sichuan girl~"

Entering the house, Song Qinghan introduced them enthusiastically.

"Hello, you two Handsome Guys. Sorry for suddenly coming over to bum a meal; thank you so much for having us!"

Zhang Xueya had a bright smile on her face and greeted them generously, though her gaze kept lingering on Jiang Yuan.

"Hello."

Liu Zhuoyun also greeted them softly, her voice gentle.

"Hello, my name is Jiang Yuan, and I'm from Hebei. This is Zhao Xin and Li Yu; they are both locals."

Jiang Yuan put down the skewers in his hand and smiled as he introduced the two new Girls, his attitude gentle and polite.

"Jiang Yuan, you should rest. Let me help you!"

Zhang Xueya was very attentive; she washed her hands and immediately volunteered to help skewer the meat.

In fact, they were all quite good at barbecuing. After all, Northeastern barbecue is famous nationwide; when it comes to barbecue, basically every household knows how to handle it.

"You sit here and take a break."

Jiang Yuan saw that Liu Zhuoyun was so delicate, her skin so tender it looked like it could be pinched and water would come out; she clearly looked like someone who hadn't done much work growing up. Her small, fair face had exquisite features. Her skin was very fair, but not the sickly pale kind; it was a healthy white with a rosy, pink flush. She wore light makeup, and beneath her long eyelashes was a pair of pure, large eyes. She was almost flawless, looking exceptionally beautiful.

"Thank you."

Liu Zhuoyun thanked him softly and then sat down as instructed.

While Jiang Yuan was observing her, she was also secretly observing him.

It had to be said, he was truly the most handsome man she had ever seen.

Although his clothes were understated, the material and tailoring were definitely not cheap.

Young, handsome, and wealthy—he possessed almost every advantage.

Jiang Yuan thought to himself that she was simply the 'white moonlight' in the hearts of thousands of men. Her temperament, her appearance, her voice—just from this first encounter, they were deeply imprinted in his mind, impossible to shake off.

It was as if... it was love at first sight!

Yes, from the very first moment he saw Liu Zhuoyun, his long-dormant heart seemed to suddenly welcome spring, filled with palpitations.

"Song Qinghan said you were from Sichuan, but why don't you look like it?"

Jiang Yuan took the initiative to find a topic to chat about.

It was really because this girl was completely different from the spicy and bold Sichuan-Chongqing Girls he had in mind from the internet; she was exceptionally quiet, and he couldn't see where the 'spicy' part was at all.

"How do I not look like it?"

Liu Zhuoyun tilted her head. Although she was a bit socially anxious, she wasn't so shy that she wouldn't dare to respond when someone took the initiative to talk to her.

"It's just that you look very... um... very gentle."

Jiang Yuan pondered for a moment, weighing his words, and finally gave this assessment.

"My personality is just like this by nature, but my friends might fit the Sichuan-Chongqing impression you imagined."

Liu Zhuoyun smiled slightly, her voice still soft, with a hint of teasing in her tone.

After chatting with Liu Zhuoyun for a while, the group got everything ready. During this time, they were playful and rowdy, making it very lively.

Among them, Zhao Xin and Zhang Xueya were the most boisterous; in fact, Zhang Xueya stopped paying much attention to Jiang Yuan and instead became somewhat interested in Zhao Xin.

The barbecue grill was quickly set up, and the charcoal fire emitted a faint red glow in the night, radiating a warm atmosphere.

Li Yu and Zhao Xin skillfully started the fire and spread the charcoal. Before long, the fiery red charcoal was flickering, and the aroma of roasted meat gradually began to spread.

Shen Lingke picked up a brush and carefully brushed oil onto the marinated meat skewers, her movements gentle and focused.

Song Qinghan was responsible for skewering various vegetables. She chatted and laughed with Zhang Xueya while working, the atmosphere relaxed and happy.

"Wow, Jiang Yuan, your technique for skewering meat is so professional!"

Zhang Xueya leaned over to Jiang Yuan's side, watching him skillfully thread pieces of beef onto the skewers, her eyes twinkling with excitement. She noticed that Jiang Yuan's fingers were slender and strong, his movements clean and efficient, as if he were creating a work of art.

Jiang Yuan chuckled and casually picked up a skewer of lamb that was already prepared and handed it to her.

"I helped out at street barbecue stalls quite a bit growing up, so I got some practice." He joked, half-seriously.

"That's perfect then; tonight we're counting on you to show off your skills, Jiang Yuan!"

Zhang Xueya took the skewer and said with a grin, unceremoniously pushing the task onto Jiang Yuan. She saw that Jiang Yuan was enjoying it and had no intention of refusing.

Zhao Xin adjusted the fire to be just right. As soon as the meat skewers were placed on it, they immediately made a sizzling sound, and the oil dripped onto the charcoal, sending up a cloud of enticing white smoke.

"Jiang Yuan, these meat skewers you're grilling smell so good! The heat is controlled just right!"

Li Yu smelled the aroma of the meat and couldn't help but praise him. He carried a plate of grilled skewers to the dining table for everyone to taste.

Liu Zhuoyun sat at the table, watching the lively scene with a faint smile on her face. Although she didn't speak much, seeing everyone happy made her feel genuinely relaxed and joyful. Jiang Yuan noticed her and specially handed her a skewer of grilled corn.

"Thank you, Jiang Yuan."

Liu Zhuoyun took the corn and ate it in small bites, her posture quiet and elegant, like a calm little white rabbit.

"Song Qinghan, didn't you say you wanted to lose weight last time? How come you're eating more happily than anyone else now?"

Zhang Xueya teased, watching Song Qinghan munching on a large skewer of roasted sausage with great relish.

Hearing this, Song Qinghan, with her mouth full of meat, retorted indistinctly: "With delicious food in front of me, losing weight is just a passing cloud! I need to be full before I have the energy to lose weight!" She even made a face at Zhang Xueya, causing everyone to burst into laughter.

Zhao Xin and Li Yu were having an even better time, clinking glasses from time to time and chatting loudly.

Jiang Yuan grilled the meat while listening to their laughter. A warmth welled up in his heart; this long-lost sense of relaxation and ease made him feel unprecedentedly satisfied. Looking at everyone's faces illuminated by the fire, each wearing the most sincere smile, he felt that this moment was more precious than possessing any wealth.

The evening breeze blew, carrying the lingering warmth of the charcoal fire and the aroma of the roasted meat.

In the villa's small courtyard, the lights were bright and laughter was constant; several young people sat together, enjoying this moment of joy.